Drought-hit Provinces Warned Of Bush Fires

[george]

Drought-hit provinces warned of bush fires

BANGKOK: -- A senior Interior Ministry official has warned of possible severe bush fires in many parts of Thailand as a result of the drought.

The drought has led to low moisture in the air, increasing the risk of bush fires, the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Sunthorn Riewluang, told TNA on Friday.

The government official urged local residents and tourists to strictly follow the fire safety measures in order to prevent the outbreak of bush fires.

"Bush fires which occur at this time of year can be very severe. It's because the forest has accumulated fallen leaves that serves as a good fuel," said Mr. Sunthorn.

To prevent bush fires, cigarette butts should be put out before they are discarded in forested area, and cooking fires in wooded areas should not be left unattended, he warned.

Mr Sunthorn also advised against burning grass.

--TNA 2005-03-12

[plachon]

Drought-hit provinces warned of bush fires

BANGKOK: --  A senior Interior Ministry official has warned of possible severe bush fires in many parts of Thailand as a result of the drought.

The drought has led to low moisture in the air, increasing the risk of bush fires, the Director-General of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Sunthorn Riewluang, told TNA on Friday.

The government official urged local residents and tourists to strictly follow the fire safety measures in order to prevent the outbreak of bush fires.

"Bush fires which occur at this time of year can be very severe. It's because the forest has accumulated fallen leaves that serves as a good fuel," said Mr. Sunthorn.

To prevent bush fires, cigarette butts should be put out before they are discarded in forested area, and cooking fires in wooded areas should not be left unattended, he warned.

Mr Sunthorn also advised against burning grass.

--TNA 2005-03-12

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't think Sunthorn is the brightest log on the barbie, or he hasn't been out of his air-con Bangkok office in along time. Forest fires have been raging in Isaan for the past two months and nearly all of them are deliberately started. Phu Phan forest was ablaze within metres of the National Park HQ a few days ago and there wasn't a firefighter in sight, despite signs everywhere asking people to report fires to a "hotline" (no pun intended). Isaan looks like one big charred mess these days across large parts and the air is thick with acrid smoke. Trouble is, it's been there that long that people are used to it and don't comment that the sun is setting into the haze 20 degrees above the horizon or they can't see the hill 3 kms away.

It's not tourists cooking fires or cigarette butts doing the damage, but villagers with cattle and buffalo who think that the grass will grow up all the more healthy when the rains finally come. But in the meantime, the wretched animals can eat ash! So the last sentence about advising "against burning grass" is a classic amongst useful comments by on-the-ball civil servants who should have accepted the golden parachutes on offer.